Billie sips his milk. “Max says it’s too dangerous, but we’re tough. Miles, you’ve been digging into Knox & Rain forever. You know stuff they don’t.”
I smile, their support warming me.
“Exactly,” I say. “I’m done being the good Little who waits. I say we march in there and demand to be part of the mission.”
“Agreed!” Richie says, slamming his mug down, milk sloshing. “Littles unite!”
We giggle, stifling the sound, and clink our mugs in a mock toast.
With Bean and the other stuffies in tow, we creep to the study, the door cracked, a sliver of light spilling out.
Inside, Travis, Cole, and Max are huddled around the laptop, cigar smoke curling in the air, whisky glasses glinting. Travis’s in a black t-shirt, his jaw tight, his eyes locked on the screen. My heart skips—he’s so intense, so Daddy, and I’m hit with a rush of pride and want.
I push the door open, Richie and Billie at my back, and stride in, my chin high.
“We’re not sitting this out,” I say, my voice firm despite the flutter in my stomach. “I stole that flash drive. I need to see what’s on it, and I’m willing to disobey you, Daddy, if that’s what it takes.”
Travis’s head snaps up, his eyes narrowing, but then a chuckle rumbles out, low and warm.
“My Little lawyer, I was just about to come get you,” Travis says, leaning back in his chair. “No way I’m leaving your perspective out of this. You’re too damn sharp.”
My cheeks flush, joy bubbling up.
He respects me—not just as his Little, but as a partner. Richie and Billie grin, nudging me, and I step closer, Bean still under my arm.
“What’s on the drive?” I ask, my voice steady now.
Cole taps the laptop. “Just cracked it. We’re scanning files now—financials, emails, meeting logs. Looks like Knox is funneling cartel money through Obsidian Ventures, straight to Los Lobos’ new front. Your screenshots helped us know what to look for.”
I nod, my mind racing back to Knox’s office, those photos of yachts and sports cars.
“He’s not who I thought,” I say softly, melancholy in my voice. “He’s all about money, not justice.”
Travis pulls me to his side, his arm warm around me.
“You did good, darling boy,” Travis says, his voice full of warmth. “Let’s dive in.”
We huddle around the laptop, Richie and Billie peering over our shoulders, as Cole pulls up files—spreadsheets of transfers, coded emails, enough links for us to build a case.
It’s damning, a web of greed and crime, and my stomach twists, knowing I worked for this man.
We work late, piecing it together, until my eyes burn as the cabin’s clock ticks well past midnight…
Dawn breaks, painting the sky pink through the study’s window.
I’m back in the kitchen, brewing coffee, my romper swapped for star-patterned pajamas.
Travis’s slumped on the couch, eyes heavy from our three hours of sleep, but I nudge him awake, handing him a steaming mug.
“Rise and shine, Daddy,” I say, grinning. “We’ve got work to do.”
He groans, taking the coffee, his fingers brushing mine. “You’re lucky this is important, Little, or I’d have you over my knee for waking me this early.”
I chuckle, my cheeks warming. “Save it for bedtime, then. I’ll be ready.” I wink, and his eyes spark, a mix of amusement and heat.
We head to the study, still in our pajamas, the cabin quiet except for the soft snores of Richie and Billie down the hall. The laptop’s waiting, its screen glowing with the decoded files.
“Today’s the day,” Travis says, his voice firm. “We start the final phase—nailing Knox, exposing the cartel, ending this threat.”
